Excel Gymnastics elevates Alaskan standard with local girls team

Several up and coming athletes from Excel Gymnastics on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway have spent the beginning of this year making a solid mark on their portion of the gymnastics world and earning Excel the “Alaska State Junior Olympic Program of the Year,” award.

The honor of the award came as a surprise to the program’s coach, Robert Davila, who did not realize his team was even being considered.

“When it happened it was just Disneyland magical. So proud of the girls,” he said.

The recognition came after four of the program’s female gymnasts qualified for the USAG Region 2 Championship Meet held in Tacoma, Washington, in mid-April. While there, the athletes, who were competing with top gymnasts from Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, each made the podium in at least one personal event.

Ashlinn Tuning, a homeschooler from Palmer who is beginning her freshman year, placed first in three of her four events and first overall in her age group, which consisted of 250 other athletes. Tuning says she surprised herself with her performance.

“I wasn’t really thinking about making first place, I was only thinking about my skills and what I had to do,” she said.

Jennifer Klebesadel, who has since graduated from Palmer High School, placed first in the uneven bars with a score of a perfect 10, which is highly impressive for an Alaskan gymnast, according to Davila.

“When she has a challenge, she’s always one to go back to basics and retarget that skill, and build it again.” Davila said of Klebesadel’s strengths in the gym.

Klebesadel has been involved in gymnastics since she was 18 months old, but will not be competing after college. She plans to attend University of Alaska Fairbanks in the fall to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering with a focus on aerospace.

Meika Lee, a seventh grader at Colony Middle School, won the balance beam event and tied for fourth place overall in her age group.

She’s very organized in her training, and sets goals. She’s also relentless in her pursuit of those goals,” Davila said of Lee’s training style.

Lee’s teammate, Brooklyn Kopsack took home silver in both the vaulting event as well as overall in her age group. Kopsack is a relentless worker, according to her coach.

“Brookie is a never-give-up, no matter what the challenge, no matter how a day might go, that girl never gives up,” he said.

The individual performances of both Kopsack and Lee earned them their spot in the highly coveted Western National Championship meet that took place in Salt Lake City about a month after Regions.

At Western Nationals, Kopsack took home seventh place in the vaulting event and ended up having her best meet that season.

“Going into the meet, that was my goal to place on at least one event,” she said.

Davila was especially proud of how his two athletes handled the pressure since this was the first time Excel has had gymnasts at this event.

“Seeing that all we have to do is train a little harder, and we could be on the podium. That was the exciting part.”

However, he attributes much of Excel’s success this past year to the behind-the-scenes effort of the parents.

“All this is possible honestly, not only because we have committed athletes, but because we have committed parents,” he said.